Federal Oversight of and Assistance for MPOs

28.	Is your MPO part of a transportation management area (TMA), that is, an urbanized area larger than 200,000 population?
	1.		Yes - Continue with question 29.
	2.		No (Click here to skip to question 35.)

29.	Does more than one MPO represent the TMA?
	1.		Yes
	2.		No

	PLEASE NOTE: In the next few questions we ask about the federal certification review process. A federal certification review is required every four years for TMAs, that is, an urbanized area with population greater than 200,000. These reviews generally include a desk review of MPOs’ transportation planning documents, a site visit, and other activities.

30.	If your MPO has been part of a federal DOT certification review, in your opinion, how helpful, if at all, was your last federal certification review in helping your region either maintain or improve the quality of its transportation planning?
	1.		Not applicable, our MPO has not undergone a federal DOT certification review (Click here to skip to question 33.)
	2.		Very helpful - Continue with question 31.
	3.		Helpful - Continue with question 31.
	4.		Moderately helpful - Continue with question 31.
	5.		Of little or some help - Continue with question 31.
	6.		Of no help - Continue with question 31.
	7.		No opinion or no basis to judge - Continue with question 31.

31.	To what extent, if at all, does your MPO use the federal certification review in the following ways? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Very great extent	Great extent	Moderate extent	Some or little extent	No extent	No basis to judge
31a.	To identify areas for improvement
31b.	To identify best practices to implement
31c.	To secure additional resources
31d.	To ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations
31e.	Other uses – Please specify below.

	Please specify other uses here.

32.	In your opinion, to what extent, if at all, do the following represent challenges with the federal certification review process? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Very great extent	Great extent	Moderate extent	Some or little extent	No extent	No basis to judge
32a.	Consistency of review content and process
32b.	Time and resource needs of review
32c.	Process-oriented focus
32d.	Other – Please specify below.

	Please specify other challenges here.

33.	Other than the federal certification review, is your MPO subject to any of the following other MPO oversight mechanisms? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Yes	No	Don't know
33a.	Federal self-certification (e.g., the process in which the state and MPO certify to FHWA and FTA that the planning process is addressing the major issues facing the area)
33b.	State DOT evaluation
33c.	Participation of FTA regional office staff in MPO committees or board
33d.	Participation of FHWA division office staff in MPO committees or board
33e.	Review of planning documents by FTA region and FHWA division
33f.	Review and approval of updates to plans by state DOT
33g.	Review and approval of PL programming funds reimbursement by state DOT
33h.	Other oversight mechanisms – Please specify below.

	Please specify other oversight mechanisms here.

34.	In your opinion, how helpful, if at all, are the oversight mechanisms identified in question 33 at helping your MPO either maintain or improve the quality of its transportation planning?
	1.		Very helpful (Click here to skip to question 37.)
	2.		Helpful (Click here to skip to question 37.)
	3.		Moderately helpful (Click here to skip to question 37.)
	4.		Of little or some help (Click here to skip to question 37.)
	5.		Of no help (Click here to skip to question 37.)
	6.		No opinion or no basis to judge (Click here to skip to question 37.)

	Note: All who answered question 34 should skip to question 37.

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Full Report: GAO-09-868

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